


Regret

by Anonymous



Series: In dribs and drabs [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 15:59:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5297426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroko has tuned everything out by then, looking up at the fading light in the dark blue sky. It reminds him of Aomine-kun's eyes, so dark so mysterious yet strangely comforting. The setting sun is casting orange light and sliver of red, akin to Kagami-kun's bright red hair, in another part of waiting world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Regret

♦♦♦

 

"Do you regret it?"

Kuroko Tetsuya snaps his head around to the voice, a little too fast for his liking, wide-eyed, a subtle evident that Kise-kun's sudden question did startle him for a second, before the blank expression reasserts itself. He studies Kise-kun in the weak evening light for a moment; left gloved hand clenching and unclenching at the side, slender body with hard muscles swathed in the worn-out brown cloak where Kuroko is fully aware of the presence of hidden daggers buried somewhere in the cloak, blonde hair framing the charming face, littered with small cuts here and there from the war, but still charming nonetheless.

A cold wind slices his skin, and Kuroko shivers. Kise-kun must have noticed this as he takes a small step forward, thick snow scrunching noisily under his boot, and he offers a red cloak.

"Here," Kise-kun says softly.

Kuroko takes the cloak from Kise-kun, his movement full of hesitancy, slowed down by the recognition process.

He recognizes the cloak. It belonged to Kagami-kun before Kagami-kun begrudgingly lent him the cloak when he had torn his in their journey back to the Centre. Kagami-kun even warned him not to tear the cloak, complete with narrowed crimson eyes under the oddly sharp eyebrows and a disapproving look.

Aomine-kun managed to slip in, "Kagami's in mother mode," over the rushing wind from the valley. Kagami-kun swept up a random small stone from the pebbly path and pitched it to Aomine-kun in unerring accuracy. Aomine-kun yelped in pain and sported a bruise on his forehead, much to his and Kagami-kun's amusement.

The amusement didn't last long. Aomine-kun tried to take his revenge and Kagami-kun was more than delighted to spur him on. Kise-kun took the initiative to pull him to the side, away from the clashing swords. Midorima-kun was complaining about their stupidity and childishness to his loyal companion, Takao-kun, whom was at paroxysm of laughter, rolling on the ground, hugging his middle. Murasakibara-kun opted to take a break on a huge rock, and Akashi-kun leaned against his sword heavily, gazing fondly over the childish fight, yet their positions suggested that they were on their guard.

Kuroko watched as Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun lashed out at each other, it was all but yet another squabble between two idiots. He gladly put on the cloak with a silent promise that he'll return it to the rightful one, as good as it is, before Kagami-kun knows it.

Kuroko clutches the cloak to his chest, eyes gradually fluttering closed as he inhales the musky scent deeply.

The cloak has done so much to him, protecting him the harshness of Mother Nature while Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun religiously protected him from the dangers that awaited them. He often found himself standing between them with Aomine-kun's and Kagami-kun's back to him.

Along the way of their journey, he never had a chance to witness Aomine-kun's and Kagami-kun's sword skill in battles as their muscular bodies blocked his vision. Judging from the way their shoulders flexed beautifully under the thick armours, the way they swung their sword and the state of the fallen enemies on the ground in front of their feet, sliced and torn beyond recognition, he decided to entrust his life to them without a qualm.

Even so, the desire to see it; their magnificent, beautiful sword skill, with his very own eyes never faded.

And when he had a chance to witness it himself, in the war, Kuroko wished he hadn't.

From a distance, in the middle of chaos, he saw Kagami-kun on his knees, hand palming over a huge gash on his stomach and blood dribbling down his lip. And there was Aomine-kun, swinging his sword with as much force as possible to parry a coming blow away from Kagami-kun's neck, the clashing sound ringing loudly, ignoring everything even when a small sword had pierced his chest in the wake of his defence, his focus solemnly on the bastard that had hurt Kagami-kun –  _his_  Kagami, and with the sword still embedded deep in his chest, Aomine-kun sliced the bastard's neck clean off his body.

The head rolled down the ground. But that didn't concern him at all. His eyes had fixed on Kagami-kun and Aomine-kun, and them alone.

And he could only watch helplessly, wide-eyed, as Aomine-kun's legs wobbled beneath him before Aomine-kun, too, sunk to his knees in front of his loved one.

His heart arrested.

He did not know what happened then, what were they talking about, noises filling the air and his ears, but he could see Kagami-kun's agonized look as though he was angry or disappointed, and Aomine-kun, with a small smile, took Kagami-kun's bleeding cheek in his dirty hand before pressing their foreheads together.

Then they both went still.

And for a fraction of seconds, Kuroko felt utterly numb.

He opened his mouth, hand reaching out for them—

"Kurokocchi?"

Kise-kun's voice whisks him back to the present. Kuroko blinks once, twice when the confusion hasn't left him, and barely registers the snowflakes that now raining down on them, over the open field, and the tombstones standing gravely in front of him, accompanied by two swords which belonged to Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun each.

"You alright, Kurokocchi?" Kise-kun inquires, peering at him.

He shakes his head and offers Kise-kun an assuring smile. "I'm fine, Kise-kun. Thank you for your concern. It just that…" he swallows thickly. "I just realize that… I will never have the chance to return Kagami-kun's cloak to him."

There's a beat of silence before Kise-kun places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "You know, I'll always be there for you."

"I know." Kuroko puts his hand on top of Kise-kun. "Thank you for everything."

Kise-kun doesn't say a word. Words are powerless at the moment. They both share a knowing glance then turn ahead, gazing benevolently at the tombstones.

"Do you regret it?" Kise-kun asks again.

"Regret what?"

"Bringing Kagamicchi and Aominecchi along," Kise-kun says quietly. "None of this could have happened if they stayed behind. I find it still hard to believe that Aominecchi and Kagamicchi, the best warriors ever walked the Earth, are buried down there while I'm here, alive—"

Kuroko has tuned everything out by then, looking up at the fading light in the dark blue sky. It reminds him of Aomine-kun's eyes, so dark so mysterious yet strangely comforting. The setting sun is casting orange light and sliver of red, akin to Kagami-kun's bright red hair, in another part of waiting world.

It's painful to see reminiscences of his best friends everywhere while they're down there, sleeping forever.

"Do you regret it?"

Kuroko considers this over.

He thinks of Kagami-kun's childish grin. He thinks of Aomine-kun's pleasant smirk. He thinks of their warmth that seeped through him when they slapped his back playfully. He thinks of both pleasant and gruesome moments they shared in their journey.

And he smiles, finding the courage to admit it aloud.

"No, Kise-kun. I don't regret it. Not even a slightest."

And he believes Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun, with wide, goofy smiles and all, would've said the same.

 

♦♦♦


End file.
